MY Bob Barker
The MY Bob Barker is the Sea Shepherd's icebreaker vessel. It was secretly acquired in 2009. Its first campaign was Operation Waltzing Matilda, where it kept its disguise until confronting the whaling fleet mid-campaign. History The Bob Barker is a former Norwegian whaling vessel. Built in 1950 as the Pol XIV, the ship is the oldest vessel in the Sea Shepherd fleet. The ship was secretly purchased in 2009 and restored in Africa. The crew kept the identity of the vessel a secret, wearing plain clothes and leaving no indication that the vessel was affiliated with Sea Shepherd. The vessel is the only icebreaker ship in the Sea Shepherd fleet and played a crucial role in pursuing the whalers in icy areas. It also has the largest fuel tank, meaning it is able to pursue the whalers longer than any other ship. Operation Waltzing Matilda During Operation Waltzing Matilda, the identity of the ship was kept secret as it was repaired in Mauritius. Its captain was long-time Sea Shepherd Chuck Swift. The Bob Barker was not unveiled as a Sea Shepherd vessel until it encountered the Nisshin Maru. The crew painted their signature Jolly Roger emblem on their ship at sea and raised the Sea Shepherd flag. The Ady Gil assisted in slowing down the factory ship, but was severely damaged after being rammed by the Shonan Maru No. 2. The crew of the Bob Barker rescued the crew of the Ady Gil and attempted to tow the stricken boat, but the Ady Gil eventually sank. The Nisshin Maru also escaped. As the Bob Barker attempted to find the factory ship, tensions rose as members of the Ady Gil wanted to go home, having obligations to tend to. The Bob Barker met up with the Steve Irwin for the first time and transferred the Ady Gil crew, as the Steve Irwin was returning to port. During a storm, small boats from both ships were damaged. The Bob Barker continued its search and was eventually able to catch up, but four whaling ships circled the ship in an attempt to allow the Nisshin Maru to escape again. The Bob Barker made an attempt to shoot a gap between the whalers and collided with the Yushin Maru No. 3, creating a large gash in the hull. It followed the Nisshin Maru until the Steve Irwin arrived and the two ships kept on the tail of the factory ship. The Bob Barker worked as a wingman for the Steve Irwin, fending off the harpoon ships as the Steve Irwin deployed the helicopter. At one point, the Bob Barker deployed a metal-laced prop fouler in front of the Nisshin Maru, but missed. The Bob Barker remained on its stern for the rest of the season, effectively shutting down the hunt. Operation No Compromise In 2011, the ship had a major overhaul and was improved, including new paint and equipment. During Operation No Compromise, the Bob Barker, captained by Alex Cornelissen, and the other two ships left port to pursue the whalers. The Bob Barker was the first ship to encounter the whalers, spotting a whaling ship only days into the campaign. However, it was unable to locate the Nisshin Maru because it was being tailed by a harpoon ship. The Bob Barker deployed two inflatable boats in an attempt to free itself front its tail, but one of the inflatables was damaged. A prop fouler failed to release and the inflatable was dragged by the harpoon ship, tearing a hole in its side. The crew was left exposed to the Antarctic weather for more than twelve hours. Some of the crew developed hypothermia. The Bob Barker returned to pick up the crew. The small boat crews were deployed again and managed to place a tracking device on the Yushin Maru No. 2. The Bob Barker joined the Gojira and the Steve Irwin in pursuing the whalers' bunker ship, the Sun Laurel. Eventually, they decide to break off to search for the Nisshin Maru. The Bob Barker crew placed a tracking device on the Sun Laurel in the middle of the night. Later, the Bob Barker launched a small boat attack on their tail, and with the help of the Gojira, disabled the Yushin Maru No. 3, freeing itself of its tail. The Gojira then went on to locate the Nisshin Maru and slowed it down long enough for the Bob Barker to catch up. It pursued the factory vessel until it neared Chilean waters, where the Chilean Navy announced that it would arrest the Nisshin Maru if it came any closer. The Nissan Maru then headed back to Japan with the announcement of the whaling season ending early due to the Sea Shepherds' actions. Operation Divine Wind In 2012 The Bob Barker was deployed to Antarctica to stop the Nisshin Maru ''from killing whales. The ''Nisshin Maru took a different route to Antarctica to avoid Sea Shepherd patrols. On the last day of the season Bob Barker intercepts the Nisshin Maru and two harpoon boats. The Yushin Maru No. 2 ''and the ''Yushin Maru No. 3 ''try to prop foul the ''Bob Barker with ''steel cables but the ''Bob Barker ''stood it's ground and chased the ''Nisshin Maru ''out of Antarctica leading to the whaling season being called off. Operation Zero Tolerance In 2013 The ''Bob Barker is sent back to Antarctica to stop the Nisshin Maru. ''this year they have a new mission stop the ''Sun Laurel ''from refueling the ''Nisshin Maru ''and chase both out of Antarctica. Early in the campaign the ''Bob Barker ''found the Nisshin Maru but loses it in an ice storm. a few days later the ''Bob Barker ''spots the ''Yushin Maru No. 2 ''and the ''Nisshin Maru ''attempting to do a transfer and blocks it. The ''Yushin Maru No. 2 ''attempted to ram the ''Bob Barker ''and they were forced to back down. the whale was transferred and butchered with the ''Bob Barker ''watching the whole operation. On February 20, 2013 the ''Bob Barker, the Steve Irwin, and the Sam Simon ''intercepts the ''Nisshin Maru ''and parks next to the ''Sun Laurel ''in an attempt to stop the factory ship from refueling. The ''Nisshin Maru ''rams all three vessels including the ''Sun Laurel ''causing sever damage to each ship. fueling was called off along with the whale hunt because of a pending injunction in the International Court. Operation Relentless In 2014 Bob Barker returns to Antarctica after spending a year in drydock to repair the damage caused by the ''Nisshin Maru. Three days into the campaign the Bob Barker finds the Nisshin Maru ''but because of a blown turbocharger Nisshin Maru gets away. Days later the ''Bob Barker ''finds the ''Nisshin Maru but they get tailed by the Yushin Maru No. 3 and the Shonan Maru No. 2. ''The Steve Irwin'' meets up with the Bob Barker and they attempt to plug the discharge vents. When this fails they successfully prop foul the Shonan Maru No. 2 and the Steve Irwin escapes. the Bob Barker tries this on the Yushin Maru No. 3 ''but this plan fails and the whalers throw spears and grappling hooks at the small boat crews. The ''Nisshin Maru escapes again and they spend the next three days finding it. On the last day of the season the Bob Barker finds the Nisshin Maru ''but all three harpoon boats and the Shonan Maru No. 2 form a picket around the Nisshin Maru and threaten to disable the ''Steve Irwin and the Bob Barker ''with steel tow cables . both ships launch small boats to cut the cables but fall behind and a mutiny on one boat leads to the operation being called off. Just as the Bob Barker speeds up to shoot the gap between the harpoon boats ''Yushin Maru No. 3 turns hard to starboard and the stern hits the Bob Barker causing a head on collision. damage to both ships is a side handrail on Yushin Maru No. 3 and a cracked hull and broken ribs on the Bob Barker. ''Days later on March 31, 2014 the Institute of Cetacean Research and parent company Kyoto Senpaku are sued by the International Court of Justice and forced to suspend operations. The whalers go home defeated. Operation Icefish In 2015 Sea Shepherd is deployed to Antarctica to assist INTERPOL and the navies of New Zealand and Australia to hunt down a fleet of fishing boats known to the world as [[the Bandit 6|the ''Bandit 6]]. ''The main highlight of the campaign was the capture and and unfortunate sinking of the Thunder. Operation Icefish was declared a success because in weeks after the ''Thunder ''sank the ''Bandit 6 ''surrendered and the illegal fishing industry was shut down for good. Thunder Manhunt On December 17, 2014 the ''Bob Barker ''intercepted the ''Thunder ''with their gillnets in plain sight. Captain Peter Hammerstandt ordered the ''Thunder ''to surrender their vessel but they refused and the ''Thunder ''dropped their gillnets and ran. For 110 days the ''Bob Barker ''chased the ''Thunder to Africa and on the morning of April 6, 2015 it sank off the coast of Sao Tome with a full boat load of toothfish deliberately sank by her captain and crew. The ''Bob Barker ''and the ''Sam Simon ''rescued the crew and transported them to Sao Tome where they were arrested by INTERPOL for poaching and piracy. Operation Sleppid Grindini In 2015 the ''Bob Barker, Sam Simon, ''and ''Brigitte Bardot ''were deployed to the Faroe Islands to stop the local Grind Hunt but they faced opposition along the way. The crews of all four small boats from each ship were arrested by the Faroe and tried in a kangaroo court where they were found guilty of interfering with a Grind Hunt. The Faroe seized the four small boats and a scooner that was also taking part in the campain. Each ship was boarded by the Coast Guard and the Dennish Navy with the ''Sam Simon ''held in port until Sea Shepherd had it released. 490 whales were killed by the Faroe without Sea Shepherd doing anything to stop it but they did get media attention and the case is being debated in the International Court. Drydock Fallowing Operation Sleppid Grindini the ''Bob Barker ''was sent to Germany where it entered drydock. the engine was replaced and the fuel tanks repaired along with most of the ribs on her cracked huel plus some of the hatches and the radar mast. the ''Bob Barker ''has also been repainted to make it look like a navy destroyer but the shark jaws on the bow have been kept and repainted on. the small boats have also been replaced and each has been fitted with a radio and compartments to store the equipment. the ''Bob Barker ''is on her way to Italy where it will be restocked before it returns to Hobart.